ESCONDIDO: Children crowd toy boat launch at City Hall fountain

New toy boats draw a crowd at Escondido City Hall fountain

ESCONDIDO -- An armada of colorful new toy boats was launched
Tuesday at the fountain at Escondido City Hall, instantly
attracting crowds of nearby children.

The kids rushed to take turns steering the non-motorized boats
-- donated by the Escondido Host Lions Club -- steering them around
the edges of the large fountain with a stick attached to the boats
by a cord.

"This is the best part of the job, connecting with the
community," Escondido Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler said as she waited
her turn to pull a plastic boat around the pool.

"The kids are excited to come to City Hall. Years later, they
remember that. It's their first good experience with local
government."

Pfeiler thanked the Lions Club for replacing an earlier
collection of boats that she said wore out several months ago,
temporarily ending a long tradition of making the boats available
free for use by visiting children.

"I remember bringing my grandchildren to play with the boats,
and the boats sank," said Lions Club member Kathy Rognlie of
Escondido. "So I said, 'Let's build new boats for City Hall so the
kids can have fun.' "

Members of the nonprofit community service organization who were
approached with her idea built 10 boats, painted them in bright
colors and affixed Lions Club stickers before donating them to the
city.

The local chapter of an international club famous for its work
helping blind and visually impaired children enlisted local blind
children to test the crafts before Tuesday's launch.

"It makes me feel happy. It will make other children happy,"
said Lisa Torres, 12, a blind fifth-grader at Pharr Elementary
School and a member of the pre-testing crew. She expertly guided
her boat around the pool, a cane in one hand and a stick attached
to the boat in the other.

Children who had been walking by with their parents or part of
local school groups next door in Grape Day Park quickly mastered
the boats, too.

"I think they're cool," Robbie Swope, 8, of Escondido said.

"It's fun," said Dakota Castro, 3, who tried out first one boat
and then another.

"It's a nice thing for the kids. It's a great thing for the
community," said Dakota's father, Larry Castro.

Lions Club member Norm Peet traded in his professional land
surveying credentials temporarily to become the club's new toy boat
maker.

"That's what the Lion's Club is all about, helping the
community," he said.

Rognlie said the club would provide replacement boats as the
shiny new ones wear out from play.